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MARYLAND  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 

Brief  account  of  Maryland  Mineral 
Resources  and  Description  of  Exhibit 
Maryland  Min  eral  Products  in  Mines 
and  Metallurgy  Building,  St.  Louis, 
1904,  - Prepared  for  Louisiana 
Purchase  Exposition,  St,  Louis, 
Missouri,  1904. 


BRIEF  ACCOUNT 


OF 

MARYLAND  MINERAL  RESOURCES 

AND  DESCRIPTION  OF 

EXHIBIT  OF  MARYLAND  MINERAL  PRODUCTS 

IN 

MINES  AND  METALLURGY  BUILDING,  ST.  LOUIS,  1904 


Prepared  for 

LOUISIANA  PURCHASE  EXPOSITION 

ST.  LOUIS.  MO.,  1904 

BY 

Maryland  Geological  Survey 

WILLIAM  BULLOCK  CLARK, 

State  Geologist 


THE  JOHNS  HOPKINS  PRESS 
Baltimore,  Md., 

1904 


STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 


BRIEF  ACCOUNT 

OF 

MARYLAND  MINERAL  RESOURCES 

Prepared  for 

LOUISIANA  PURCHASE  EXPOSITION 

ST.  LOUIS,  MO.,  1904 


The  mineral  resources  of  Maryland  have  yielded  a great  variety  of 
products,  some  of  which  afford  the  basis  for  important  commercial  enter- 
prises, while  others  give  promise  of  prospective  value.  Many  of  the  Mary- 
land minerals  have  been  worked  since  early  colonial  days,  especially  the 
brick  clays  and  the  deposits  of  iron  carbonate.  The  .Maryland  coal 
deposits  also  were  early  discovered,  and  have  been  the  basis  of  an  import- 
ant industry  for  more  than  half  a century.  Still  other  mineral  products 
have  been  developed  within  quite  recent  years  and  the  annual  value  of 
the  Maryland  mineral  output  has  been  steadily  increasing.  The  an- 
cient crystalline  rocks,  confined  for  the  most  part  to  the  Piedmont  region 
between  the  Monocaey  and  the  Chesapeake,  have  afforded  the  most  varied 
mineral  substances.  Here  occur  the  most  important  building-stones; 
the  slates  of  Delta  and  Ijamsville;  the  granite  of  Port  Deposit,  Wood- 
stock,  Ellicott  City,  and  Guilford;  the  gneiss  of  Baltimore;  the  marble 
of  Cockeysville  and  Texas;  the  crystalline  limestone  of  Westminster; 
the  sandstone  of  Deer  Creek ; and  the  serpentine  of  Cardiff,  Broad  Creek, 
and  Bare  Hills.  In  these  oldest  rocks  occur  also  the  ores  of  gold,  copper, 
chrome,  lead,  and  zinc.  Iron  ore  is  also  found  here  while  all  the  flint, 
feldspar,  kaolin,  and  mica  in  the  State  must  be  sought  for  in  these 
rocks.  These  older  rocks  also  appear  in  the  Blue  Ridge  district  where 
they  form  the  Middletown  Valley  and  have  yielded  traces  of  copper,  anti- 
mony, and  iron. 


Rocks  of  later  age,  forming  what  geologists  call  the  Paleozoic  system, 
make  up  the  western  section  of  the  State.  They  furnish  much*  sandstone 
and  limestone  suitable  for  building  purposes,  the  latter  also  being  burned 
extensively  for  agricultural  uses.  There  are  also  important  deposits  of 
cement  rock  that  have  afforded  the  basis  for  an  extensive  industry.  At 
the  top  of  this  Paleozoic  system  of  rock  formations  are  situated  the  coal 
beds  of  the  famous  Cumberland-Georges  Creek  coal  basin,  including  the 
“ Big  Vein 99  that  is  universally  thought  to  furnish  the  highest  quality  of 
steam  and  smithing  coal.  These  same  rocks  also  contain  important  de- 
posits of  fire-clay  and  iron  ore,  the  former  affording  the  basis  for  a very 
important  fire-brick  industry. 

The  post-Paleozoic  formations  of  the  State,  although  not  as  rich  in 
mineral  products,  are  not  devoid  of  deposits  of  economic  value.  The 
interesting  variegated  limestone  breccia,  known  as  Potomac  marble,  and 
the  brown  sandstone  of  Frederick  and  Montgomery  counties  belong  to  the 
oldest  of  these  post-Paleozoic  strata.  The  series  of  still  unconsolidated 
beds  representing  much  of  the  remainder  of  post-Paleozoic  time  and 
comprising  all  of  Eastern  and  Southern  Maryland,  and  known  as  the 
Coastal  Plain,  furnishes  the  chief  supply  of  brick,  potter’s  and  tile  clay; 
of  sand,  marl,  and  diatomaceous  earth  (silica)  ; and  much  of  the  iron 
ore.  The  clay  industry,  particularly,  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  the 
State  and  is  largely  based  on  the  clays  of  this  region. 

The  various  economic  products  will  be  briefly  considered  in  the  follow- 
ing pages. 

Coals. — The  coal  deposits  of  Maryland  are  confined  to  western  Alle- 
gany and  Garrett  counties  and  are  a part  of  the  great  Appalachian  coal 
field  which  extends  from  Pennsylvania  southward  to  Alabama.  The 
Maryland  coal  is  mainly  semi-bituminous  or  steam  coal,  and  in  the 
Georges  Creek  basin,  near  Cumberland,  contains  the  famous  “ Big  Vein  ” 
or  Fourteen-foot  seam,  that  for  steam-producing  and  smithing  purposes 
has  no  superior  and  few  equals  in  any  portion  of  the  world.  Below  the 
“ Big  Vein”  are  a number  of  smaller  workable  seams  that  contain  coal 
of  fine  quality,  which  is  already  securing  an  extensive  market.  The 
Maryland  coal  was  discovered  early  in  the  century  and  has  been  con- 
tinuously worked  since  1836,  when  the  first  company  was  organized.  The 
aggregate  output  of  Maryland  steam  and  smithing  coal  at  the  present  day 
amounts  to  over  four  million  tons  annually. 

The  Maryland  Big  Vein  coal  occurs  in  the  upper  Coal  Measures,  while 


the  most  important  of  the  small  veins  are  in  the  lower  Coal  Measures. 
The  latter  have  received  less  consideration  in  the  past  on  account  of  the 
reputation  of  the  Big  Vein,  but  are  destined  to  play  a very  important 
part  in  future  coal  development  in  Western  Maryland. 

The  Maryland  coal  is  high  in  fixed  carbon,  and,  especially  in  the  case 
of  the  “ Big  Vein,”  low  in  sulphur  and  ash,  thus  possessing  in  highest 
measure  those  qualities  which  give  to  coal  its  steam-producing  power. 

Clays. — The  clays  of  Maryland  are  widely  extended,  occurring  in  a 
great  number  of  the  geological  formations.  They  are  most  extensively 
developed  through  a belt  running  from  northeast  to  southwest  along  the 
western  margin  of  the  Coastal  Plain,  and  including  both  the  Baltimore 
and  Washington  regions.  Other  important  clays  are  found  in  the  central 
and  western  sections  of  the  State,  and  even  the  southern  and  eastern 
counties  are  not  without  this  material  in  large  quantities.  The  Maryland 
clays  are  suitable  for  all  grades  of  building-brick,  tile,  terra  cotta,  and 
fire-brick,  and  also  some  grades  of  pottery.  Brick-making  began  in 
Maryland  in  colonial  days  and  has  since  been  one  of  the  most  important 
industries  in  the  State — the  great  brick  works  of  Baltimore  being  among 
the  largest  of  their  kind.  The  manufacture  of  fire-brick  has  been  one 
of  the  most  characteristic  industries  of  Maryland  for  50  years,  and  the 
fire-brick  made  from  the  Carboniferous  clays  of  Allegany  and  Garrett 
counties  is  regarded  as  the  best  in  the  country. 

Porcelain  Materials. — The  state  of  Maryland  is  well  provided  with 
porcelain  materials,  including  flint,  feldspar,  and  kaolin.  The  flint  is 
widely  distributed  throughout  the  eastern  portion  of  the  Piedmont 
Plateau,  and  is  especially  abundant  in  Cecil,  Harford,  Baltimore,  Carroll, 
Howard,  and  Montgomery  counties.  It  occurs  as  vein  fillings  in  the  form 
of  pure  granulated  or  vitreous  quartz.  In  Harford  county,  where  the 
.veins  are  most  abundant,  the  quartz  has  been  quarried  in  large  amounts. 
It  is  crushed,  and  then  shipped  in  sacks  to  the  potters. 

The  feldspar  deposits  of  Maryland  are  among  the  most  important  in 
the  United  States  and  have  been  mined  more  or  less  extensively  in  Cecil, 
Baltimore,  and  Howard  counties.  In  Cecil  county  especially  large 
deposits  occur  near  the  Pennsylvania  line  and  are  actively  operated  at  the 
present  time. 

Kaolin  is  produced  mainly  in  Cecil  county,  which  is  part  of  one  of  the 
most  important  kaolin  regions  in  the  United  States,  other  deposits  being 
found  in  the  adjoining  portions  of  Delaware  and  Pennsylvania.  The 


kaolin  lias  been  worked  extensively  at  several  points,  notably  at  North 
East,  Cecil  county,  where  large  shipments  of  this  material  have  been 
annually  made.  Considerable  flint  is  extracted  in  the  washing  of  the 
kaolin. 

Sands. — Sand  deposits  of  economic  value  have  been  exploited  both  in 
the  western  and  southern  sections  of  the  State,  and  the  sandy  sediment 
from  the  bed  of  the  Potomac  river  and  from  other  streams  has  also  been 
dredged  in  large  amounts.  The  Paleozoic  formations  of  Western  Mary- 
land contain  at  two  horizons  important  glass-sand  deposits,  that  have 
been  mined  largely  in  nearby  regions.  The  most  extensively  developed 
sand  deposits  in  the  State,  however,  are  found  in  Anne  Arundel  county, 
where  large  excavations  have  been  made  in  the  Cretaceous  deposits  near 
the  head  of  the  Severn  river,  and  a good  grade  of  glass-sand  obtained. 
The  location  of  these  sand  deposits  at  tide  renders  it  possible  to  ship 
the  materials  cheaply  by  water,  and  it  is  probable  that  they  will  be  much 
more  fully  utilized  in  the  future  than  they  have  been  in  the  past. 

Molding-sand,  suitable  for  brass  castings,  is  found  in  the  vicinity  of 
Catonsville,  Baltimore  county,  and  this  deposit  is  worked  to  some  extent 
at  the  present  time.  A sand  is  secured  from  the  south  shore  of  the 
Patapsco  river  below  Baltimore  for  pig-iron  casting. 

Many  sands  are  used  for  building  purposes,  the  Cretaceous  sands  of 
Anne  Arundel  and  Baltimore  counties  finding  large  employment  in  this 
way.  Some  of  the  residual  sands  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  region  are 
similarly  used,  especially  those  derived  from  the  quartz-schist. 

Marls. — The  Tertiary  formations  of  Eastern  and  Southern  Maryland 
contain  important  marl  deposits  that  have  never  been  developed  except  for 
local  uses.  Their  agricultural  importance  has  not  been  generally  recog- 
nized, although  they  have  been  worked  to  some  extent  since  the  early  de- 
cades of  the  last  century.  The  older  Tertiary  marls  are  glauconitic,  and 
are  not  unlike  the  famous  green-sand  marls  of  New  Jersey,  which  have 
been  so  largely  and  successfully  employed  there  as  a natural  fertilizer. 
Green-sand  marl  contains  a small  percentage  of  phosphoric  acid,  some 
potash  and  a greater  or  less  amount  of  carbonate  of  lime.  When  spread 
upon  the  surface  of  the  land  the  effect  is  slow,  but  is  often  more  lasting 
than  the  commercial  fertilizers.  The  younger  Tertiary  marls  are  mainly 
shell  deposits,  and  are  commonly  known  under  the  name  of  shell-marls. 
They  frequently  contain  a large  percentage  of  lime,  and  thus  afford  a 
valuable  addition  to  certain  soils. 


Diatomaceons  Earth. — Diatomaceous  earth,  known  to  the  trade  as  silica 
or  tripoli,  has  been  produced  in  larger  quantities  in  Maryland  than 
anywhere  else  in  the  United  States.  It  is  confined  to  the  middle  Tertiary 
and  consists  of  deposits  of  almost  pure  silica  30  to  40  feet  in  thickness. 
It  is  chiefly  found  in  Calvert  and  Charles  counties,  where  it  has  been  more 
or  less  extensively  worked  at  the  mouth  of  Lyons  Creek  on  the  Patuxent, 
and  at  Popes  Creek  on  the  Potomac  river.  This  remarkable  deposit 
is  composed  of  the  microscopic  shells  of  diatoms,  and  has  found  various 
uses  in  the  trades. 

Iron  Ores. — The  iron  industry  in  Maryland  was  developed  early  in 
colonial  days,  and  continued  until  a recent  period  to  be  one  of  the  most 
important  factors  in  the  prosperity  of  the  State.  Numerous  references 
to  the  iron  ores  and  their  manufacture  into  iron  occur  in  the  records  of 
colonial  times.  The  Principio  Company,  one  of  the  largest  of  early 
commercial  enterprises,  controlled  many  furnaces  and  forges  in  Maryland 
and  Virginia,  and  both  during  the  revolutionary  war  and  the  war  of 
1812  furnished  guns  and  projectiles  to  the  army.  These  furnaces,  as 
well  as  those  in  the  western  counties  of  the  State,  have  long  since  been 
abandoned,  with  the  exception  of  the  Catocin  furnace  in  Frederick  county, 
which  has  been  from  time  to  time  in  recent  years  in  active  operation. 
The  only  ores  now  being  produced  in  Maryland  to  any  extent  are  the 
carbonate  ores  derived  from  the  clays  along  the  western  margin  of  the 
Coastal  Plain,  chiefly  in  Anne  Arundel  and  Prince  George’s  counties. 
The  great  bulk  of  these  ores  is  to-day  smelted  in  the  Muirkirk  furnace  in 
Prince  George’s  county.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  carbonate  ore 
was  probably  the  first  iron  ore  worked  in  Maryland,  and  is,  even  to-day, 
highly  prized  for  its  tensile  strength.  It  is  used  in  considerable  quanti- 
ties by  the  U.  S.  Government  in  the  manufacture  of  armor-piercing 
projectiles  and  gun  carriages. 

Mineral  Paints. — Mineral  paint  has  been  produced  at  several  points  in 
Maryland.  Large  quantities  were  obtained  in  former  years  from  the 
brown  hematite  iron  ore  deposits  of  Frederick  county.  Ochre  mines 
have  also  been  operated  in  Carroll  and  Howard  counties.  The  deposits 
of  chief  importance  at  the  present  time,  however,  are  found  associated 
with  the  clays  in  Anne  Arundel  and  Prince  George’s  counties.  In  the 
latter  locality  the  material  is  a fine  and  highly  ferruginous  clay  that 
can  be  easily  worked,  and  large  quantities  have  been  annually  mined. 
It  occurs  in  many  grades  and  colors. 


Building  and  Decorative  Stones. — The  building  and  decorative  stones 
of  Maryland  are  widely  distributed  throughout  the  western  and  central 
portions  of  the  &tate  and  consist  of  many  different  varieties  which,  from 
their  diversity  in  color,  hardness,  and  structural  peculiarities,  are  well 
adapted  for  nearly  all  architectural  and  decorative  purposes.  Among  the 
most  important  may  be  mentioned  the  granite,  gneiss,  marble,  limestone, 
slate,  sandstone,  and  serpentine.  Among  the  localities  in  Maryland  where 
granite  has  been  most  extensively  worked  are  Port  Deposit,  in  Cecil 
county ; Woodstock,  in  Baltimore  county ; and  Ellicott  City  and  Guilford, 
in  Howard  county.  Other  areas  in  Cecil,  Howard,  and  Montgomery 
counties  contain  some  good  stone,  but  it  is  quarried  only  for  local  use. 
At  the  localities  first  mentioned  the  granite  is  extensively  quarried  at  the 
present  time,  and  has  afforded  material  for  the  construction  of  some  of 
the  most  important  buildings  in  the  country,  including  the  Capitol  and 
Congressional  Library  in  Washington,  Fortress  Monroe,  Forts  Carroll 
and  McHenry,  the  U.  S.  Naval  Academy,  and  other  public  and  private 
buildings,  as  well  as  bridges  in  Baltimore,  Washington,  and  Philadelphia. 
The  excellent  quality  of  the  stone  renders  it  available  in  many  cases  as 
a decorative  stone,  and  monumental  work  has  already  been  undertaken. 

The  more  solid  varieties  of  the  gneiss  occurring  in  and  near  the  city 
of  Baltimore  are  extensively  quarried  for  use  as  foundation  stone.  This 
rock  is  of  a gray  color,  and  occurs  in  parallel  layers  of  light  and  dark 
stone,  which  at  times  are  more  or  less  sharply  contrasted.  Buildings  con- 
structed of  gneiss,  of  which  there  are  many  in  Baltimore,  present  an 
agreeable  effect.  Among  the  njore  important  structures  may  be  men- 
tioned the  Women’s  College  of  Baltimore. 

The  marble  of  Maryland  is  mainly  confined  to  the  eastern  division  of 
the  Piedmont  Plateau.  The  white  varieties  occur  for  the  most  part  in 
Baltimore  county,  and  the  highly  variegated  marbles  in  Carroll  and  Fred- 
erick counties.  The  white  marbles  of  Baltimore  county  are  found  in  a 
series  of  narrow  belts  a few  miles  to  the  north  of  Baltimore  City.  The 
most  important  of  the  areas  is  that  which  extends  northward  from  Lake 
Roland  to  Cockeysville,  and  which  is  traversed  by  the  Northern  Central 
Railway.  The  marble  has  been  extensively  quarried  both  at  Cockeysville 
and  Texas,  the  well-known  Beaver  Dam  Marble  quarries  of  the  former 
locality  having  been  in  successful  operation  for  more  than  75  years.  The 
rock  is  a fine  saccharoidal  dolomite  of  great  compactness  and  durability. 
Monoliths  of  large  size  can  be  obtained  at  the  quarries.  Many  im- 


portant  structures  in  Baltimore,  Washington,  and  Philadelphia  have 
been  made  of  this  marble.  Stone  for  the  construction  of  the  Washington 
Monument  in  Baltimore  was  taken  from  this  locality  as  early  as  1814. 

The  fine-grained,  compact,  and  variegated  marbles,  or  crystalline  dime- 
stones,  of  the  western  portion  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  in  Carroll  and 
Frederick  counties  compare  favorably  in  their  quality,  texture,  and  beauti- 
ful veining  with  the  well-known  marbles  from  Vermont  and  Tennessee, 
and  are  deserving  of  much  more  attention  than  they  have  heretofore  re- 
ceived. In  the  Wakefield  Valley,  west  of  Westminster,  a beautiful  mottled 
red  and  white  marble  occurs;  others  of  black  and  ydiite,  gray  and  white, 
and  blue  and  white  veining  occur  near  New  Windsor  and  Union  Bridge, 
and  still  others  of  a variegated  yellow,  with  lighter  veinings,  have  been 
derived  from  the  same  area.  This  marble,  on  account  of  the  limited  ex- 
tent of  the  deposits,  has  not  been  regarded  as  of  much  economic  import- 
ance, but  the  stone,  when  secured,  is  well  adapted  for  purposes  of  interior 
decoration. 

Another  stone  which  may  be  classed  with  the  decorative  marbles  is  the 
Triassic  conglomerate  or  breccia,  of  southern  Frederick  county.  It  is 
known  as  “ Potomac  Marble,”  or  “ Calico  Rock,”  and  has  received  note- 
worthy application  as  a decorative  stone  in  the  old  Hall  of  Representatives 
at  Washington,  where  it  forms  a series  of  beautiful  columns.  It  occurs, 
well  exposed,  at  Washington  Junction,  Frederick  county,  and  extends 
northward  along  the  base  of  the  Catoctin  Mountain.  The  limestone  frag- 
ments of  which  the  rock  is  composed  are  imbedded  in  a red  ferruginous 
cement,  and  the  stone,  when  polished,  presents  a very  beautiful  ap- 
pearance. 

The  blue  limestones  of  the  Appalachian  district  have  been  used  to  some 
extent  for  building  purposes,  more  especially  in  Hagerstown,  where  several 
structures  have  been  made  of  this  material.  The  blue  limestone  changes 
its  color  rapidly  on  weathering,  and  with  a rather  pleasing  effect.  A 
very  compact,  even-grained,  and  pure  cream  white  stone  occurs  at  one  or 
two  points  in  the  Hagerstown  Valley,  and  has  already  been  developed 
to  some  extent.  The  limestones  are  extensively  used  for  foundation  and 
other  purposes. 

The  slate  of  northern  Harford  county  is  a part  of  the  Peach  Bottom 
Slate  Belt  that  extends  northward  into  Pennsylvania  and  southwestward 
into  Baltimore  and  Carroll  counties.  The  best  slate  in  this  belt  is 
found  not  far  from  the  Pennsylvania  line  in  Harford  county,  the  ship- 


merits,  however,  being  made  largely  from  Delta,  Pennsylvania,  and  on 
this  account  the  slate  is  often  credited  to  Pennsylvania/  The  Peach  Bot- 
tom slate  has  always  enjoyed  a very  high  reputation,  and  is  second  to 
none  in  its  durable  qualities.  It  has  been  worked  since  Revolutionary 
times. 

The  sandstones  of  different  color  which  have  been  found  at  many 
localities  in  Central  and  Western  Maryland  are,  many  of  them,  well 
suited  to  furnish  valuable  building-stones ; but  only  one  or  two  localities 
have  been  commercially  developed  to  any  extent,  although  the  stone  is 
used  locally  at  many  points.  The  red  sandstone  of  Triassic  age  in 
Frederick  and  Montgomery  counties  has  long  possessed  much  reputation 
in  the  building-stone  trade.  The  most  extensive  quarries  are  situated 
on  the  Potomac  River,  near  the  mouth  of  Seneca  Creek.  The  Seneca 
sandstone  has  been  quarried  in  a more  or  less  systematic  way  since  1774, 
and  has  always  been  highly  regarded  for  its  strength  and  durability  and 
its  deep  red  color.  It  has  been  used  in  the  construction  of  many  import- 
ant buildings,  including  the  Smithsonian  Institution  in  Washington. 
The  white  Cambrian  sandstone  of  the  Catoctin  and  Blue  Ridge  moun- 
tains has  been  extensively  utilized  locally,  and  at  times  has  found 
somewhat  wider  employment,  especially  by  the  railroad  companies.  In 
Allegany  and  Garrett  counties  the  Silurian,  Devonian,  and  Carbonifer- 
ous sandstones  have  been  quarried  at  several  points,  particularly  in  the 
vicinity  of  Cumberland,  where  two  of  these  sandstone  beds  have  furn- 
ished materials  for  steps,  curbs  and  architectural  trimmings. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  and  beautiful  decorative  stones  in  Mary- 
land is  the  serpentine , which  has  been  worked  more  or  less  extensively 
in  Harford}  Baltimore,  and  Cecil  counties.  The  rock  is  very  hard, 
and  possesses  a rich  emerald  green  color,  clouded  with  darker  streaks 
of  included  magnetite.  Maryland  serpentine  has  been  used  for  interior 
decoration  in  several  large  buildings  in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Balti- 
more, and  Washington,  and  has  great  possibilities  as  a decorative  stone. 

A number  of  other  Maryland  stones  have  been  used  for  building  and 
decorative  purposes.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned  the  black  gabbro, 
locally  known  as  “ Niggerhead  Rock,”  which  occurs  widely  throughout 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau.  It  is  very  hard  and 
tough  and  cannot. be  economically  quarried  and  dressed,  and  on  that 
account  has  not  found  a very  wide  use.  The  various  other  stones  em- 
ployed for  building  purposes  can  be  regarded  as  having  little  more  than 
local  value. 


Lime  and  Cement  Products. — The  limestone  and  marble  deposits  of 
Maryland  have  been  extensively  burned  for  building  and  agricultural 
uses.  This  industry  is  not  as  important  as  it  was  at  an  earlier  period, 
but  there  are  still  many  kilns  used  for  supplying  lime  for  local  purposes 
scattered  throughout  the  district  in  which  the  calcareous  rocks  appear. 

The  limestone  and  marble  are  also  used  as  a flux  for  blast  furnaces, 
the  main  supply  being  derived  from  the  coarse-grained  marble  of  Texas, 
Baltimore  county,  and  the  limestone  of  Cavetown,  Washington  county. 

Hydraulic  cement  has  been  extensively  manufactured  from  the  mag- 
nesion  limestone  of  western  Washington  and  Allegany  counties,  especi- 
ally at  Hancock  and  Cumberland,  and  more  recently  at  Pinto,  where 
extensive  plants  have  long  been  in  operation.  The  products  of  these  in- 
dustries have  a high  reputation,  and  have  been  extensively  employed 
both  within  and  without  the  State.  Cement  is  also  made  from  the  slag 
of  the  Sparrows  Point  furnaces. 

Gold  Deposits. — The  crystalline  rocks  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau  have 
been  found  to  carry  gold  in  Maryland,  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  and 
Georgia.  The  gold  occurs  in  quartz  veins,  which  occupy  the  old  lines 
of  fracture  in  the  rocks.  Gold  was  first  discovered  in  Maryland  in  1849, 
in  Montgomery  county.  The  first  mine  was  opened  in  1867  and  some 
wonderfully  rich  specimens  have  been  obtained,  although  the  gold  is 
so  unevenly  distributed  that  it  has  never  been  worked  with  profit.  Gold 
has  been  reported  from  other  portions  of  the  State,  but  these  so-called 
finds  are,  when  thoroughly  sifted,  found  to  be  either  entirely  without 
foundation  or  the  amount  of  gold"  so  slight  as  to  have  no  commercial 
value.  The  Montgomery  county  mines  in  1890  produced  between  $15,- 
000  and  $20,000  worth  of  gold;  but  within  the  last  few  years  the 
mines  have  been  practically  abandoned.  A few  hundred  dollars  worth 
of  gold  only  is  annually  obtained.  In  1902  it  amounted  to  $2500. 

Road  Materials. — Maryland  is.  well  provided  with  road-building  ma- 
terials of  good  quality.  The  trap  rocks,  which  have  shown  themselves 
as  the  result  of  careful  tests  to  be  best  adapted  for  this  purpose,  occur  well 
scattered  throughout  the  seven  central  counties  of  the  State,  and  advan- 
tageously located  for  land  and  water  transportation.  The  western 
counties,  although  without  trap  rocks,  are  all  provided  with  limestone, 
as  well  as  silicious  deposits  of  value.  Most  of  the  counties  of  Southern 
Maryland,  and  the-  northern  counties  of  the  Eastern  Shore,  have  iron- 
bearing gravels  that  can  be  employed  with  advantage  for  road-building 


I 

purposes.  The  central  and  southern  Eastern  Shore  counties  have,  in 
the  absence  of  proper  rock,  a large  supply  of  oyster  shells,  so  that  no 
section  of  the  State  is  without  road-building  material  of  some  kind. 

Mineral  Waters. — The  mineral  waters  of  Maryland  have  attracted  con- 
siderable attention,  and  several  kinds  are  being  placed  on  the  market  at 
the  present  time  with  greater  or  less  success.  A few  are  represented  as 
having  medicinal  properties,  but  the  majority  are  sold  principally  as 
table  waters,  mostly  in  the  city  of  Baltimore.  Nearly  all  of  the  well- 
known  waters  come  from  the  crystalline  rocks  of  the  Piedmont  Plateau, 
a few  only  being  reported  from  the  Appalachian  region  and  the  Coastal 
Plain.  Summer  resorts  have  sprung  up,  as  in  the  case  of  Chattolanee 
and  Buena  Vista,  about  the  more  important  of  these  springs. 

Miscellaneous  Deposits. — There  are  several  other  mineral  substances 
in  Maryland,  which  are  either  not  being  worked  at  all  or  only  to  a very 
limited  extent  at  the  present  time,  that  have  had  a very  interesting 
history.  Among  them  may  be  mentioned  copper,  chrome,  and  soapstone. 

Ores  of  copper  were  worked  in  Maryland  at  a very  early  period  in  col- 
onial times,  and  until  the  discovery  of  the  great  copper  fields  of  the  Lake 
Superior  region  afforded  one  of  the  most  important  mineral  products  of 
the  State.  The  abandoned  mines  in  Baltimore,  Carroll,  and  Frederick 
counties  to-day  indicate  the  importance  of  the  industry  at  this  earlier 
period. 

Deposits  of  chrome  ore  were  discovered  in  1827  in  the  serpentine  of 
the  Bare  Hills,  in  Baltimore  county,  and  subsequently  other  deposits 
were  found  in  Harford  and  Cecil  counties.  For  many  years  Maryland 
supplied  most  of  the  chrome  ore  of  the  world,  but  the  discovery  in  1848 
of  the  great  deposits  of  chromite  in  Asia  Minor  caused  the  practical 
abandonment  of  the  chrome  mines  of  Maryland,  although  Baltimore  is 
still  one  of  the  most  important  centers  for  the  manufacture  of  chromium 
salts. 

Deposits  of  soapstone  have  been  worked  to  some  extent  in  Carroll, 
Harford,  and  Montgomery  counties,  the  most  important  occurrence  being 
in  Carroll  county,  where  there  is  a small  production  of  this  mineral  at 
the  present  time. 

Among  other  mineral  substances  known  to  occur  in  Maryland,  al- 
though not  commercially  profitable  at  the  present  time,  may  be  men- 
tioned lead,  zinc,  manganese,  antimony,  molybdenum,  graphite,  mica, 
and  asbestos. 


Table  of  Production  of  Maryland  Mineral  Products  for  1902. 

Coal  $5,579,869 

Brick  and  tile 879,995 

Pottery* 525,300 

Raw  clays 9,249 

Kaolin  10,055 

Flint  86,251 

Feldspar  9,100 

Sands  14,825 

Marls  3,000 

Silica  or  tripoli 5,000 

Iron  ore  (carbonate  and  hematite) 46,911 

Mineral  paints 15,000 

Building  stone: 

Granite  and  gneiss $758,203 

Limestone  126,613 

Slate  118,084 

Marble  and  serpentine 80,000 

Sandstone  15,405 

Gabbro  , 5,000 

Miscellaneous  5,000 

1,108,305 

Cement,  rock  and  slag 225,680 

Lime  326,417 

Gold  2,500 

Road  materials 125,000 

Mineral  waters 45,100 


Total  $9,016,557 


DESCRIPTION  OF  EXHIBIT 


OF 

MARYLAND  MINERAL  PRODUCTS 


IN 

MINES  AND  METALLURGY  BUILDING, 
ST.  LOUIS,  1904 


The  exhibit  of  Maryland’s  mineral  resources  occupies  a conspicuous 
position  at  the  southern  end  of  the  Mines  and  Metallurgy  Building.  It 
covers  an  area  of  over  2000  square  feet  of  floor  space  together  with  4000 
square  feet  of  wall  and  window  space,  the  combined  area  being  surpassed 
by  but  few  other  states. 

The  exhibit  was  planned  and  installed  for  the  Maryland  Commis- 
sioners to  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  under  the  direction  of 
Professor  Wan.  Bullock  Clark  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  University,  Chief 
of  the  State  Geological  Survey,  assisted  by  Professor  Edward  B.  Mathews 
of  the  same  organizations.  The  materials  forming  the  display  were 
gradually  accumulated  over  several  years,  those  first  collected  forming 
the  State’s  exhibit  at  Buffalo  in  1901,  and  these  further  augmented 
constituting  the  Charleston  exhibit  later.  The  present  exhibit  has  been 
largely  increased  over  the  previous  displays  and  is  now  considered  to 
be  thoroughly  representative  of  the  varied  mineral  resources  of  the 
State.  The  exhibit  won  the  only  Gold  Medal  awarded  to  any  state  for 
its  collective  exhibit  of  mineral  resources  at  the  Buffalo  Exposition,  and 
also  received,  among  other  awards,  12  special  Gold  Medals,  twice  the 
number  awarded  to  any  other  state  in  mining  at  the  Charleston  Expo- 
sition. 

The  exhibit  may  be  divided  into  a number  of  main  groups : (a)  mineral 
products,  (b)  systematic  geology,  (c)  maps,  sections,  and  reports. 

The  mineral  products  may  be  classed  as  follows:  coals;  building  and 
decorative  stones ; ores ; clays  and  clay  products,  including  pottery,  tile, 


terra  cotta,  fancy  and  common  brick,  fire-brick,  enameled-brick,  retorts, 
and  stove-linings ; limestones,  sands ; cement  rocks ; flints ; feldspars ; 
marls;  tripoli;  barytes;  soapstone;  etc.  The  total  value  of  Maryland’s 
production  of  these  materials  has  been  gradually  increasing  in  recent 
years  until  it  now  aggregates  between  nine  and  ten  million  dollars 
annually.  The  attempt  has  been  made  to  show  the  natural  materials 
together  with  the  various  kinds  of  manufactured  products  derived  from 
them.  All  of  the  leading  operators  and  manufacturers  in  the  State 
have  taken  part  in  the  display,  some  of  them  supplying  large  collections 
of  materials. 

Among  some  of  the  most  conspicuous  exhibits  of  economic  products 
may  be  mentioned  the  following:  Blocks  of  coal  mainly  from  the 
Georges  Creek  valley  furnished  by  the  Consolidation  Coal  Company, 
Black,  Sheridan  and  Wilson  Company,  Georges  Creek  Coal  and  Iron 
Company,  American  Coal  Company,  Maryland  Coal  Company,  New 
Central  Coal  Company,  Piedmont  Mining  Company,  Davis  Coal  and 
Coke  Company,  Garrett  County  Coal  and  Mining  Company,  Phoenix  and 
Georges  Creek  Coal  Company,  Monroe  Coal  Company,  Moscow-Georges 
Creek  Mining  Company,  Piedmont  and  Georges  Creek  Coal  Company, 
and  G.  C.  Pattison.  Columns,  slabs,  and  cubes  of  building  and  decor- 
ative stones,  from  the  leading  quarries  of  the  State,  arranged  in  the 
form  of  a pyramid  and  on  tables,  among  them  granite  from  McClenahan 
and  Brother  at  Port  Deposit,  Maryland  Granite  Company  at  Guilford, 
and  Guilford  and  Waltersville  Granite  Company  at  Granite;  marble 
from  Beaver  Dam  Marble  Company  at  Cockeysville,  Washington  Marble 
Company  near  Eakles  Mills,  and  Washington  Junction  Stone  Company 
near  Point  of  Bocks;  sandstone  from  Seneca  Stone  Company  of  Seneca, 
and  serpentine  from  J.  H.  C.  Watts  at  Cardiff;  also  specimens  from  the 
numerous  quarries  in  the  vicinity  of  Baltimore.  A booth  made  of 
slate  from  the  well-known  Peach  Bottom  Slate  Producers’  Association 
and  other  interests.  Various  iron  and  copper  ores,  particularly  the 
historic  carbonate  iron  ores  worked  in  Baltimore,  Anne  Arundel,  and 
Prince  George’s  counties  and  smelted  at  the  Muirkirk  furnace  of  Charles 
E.  Coffin,  illustrating  which  are  shown  armor-piercing  projectiles  made 
by  the  U.  S.  Arsenal  at  Watertown,  Mass.,  and  metal  rolls  made  by  the 
Philadelphia  Roll  and  Machine  Company.  In  the  clay  exhibit  a large 
case  filled  with  decorated  pottery  from  the  manufactories  of  Edwin 
Bennett  Pottery  Company  and  D.  F.  Haynes  and  Son  of  Baltimore; 


a wall  case  containing  enameled-brick  from  the  works  of  Andrew  Ramsay 
of  Mount  Savage;  a large  central  mantel  piece  made  of  Maryland  clay 
and  put  up  by  the  Washington  Hydraulic-Press  Brick  Company;  a dis- 
play of  terra  cotta  and  building  bricks  by  the  Burns  and  Russell  Com- 
pany and  the  Baltimore  Brick  Company  of  Baltimore ; fire-brick  supplied 
by  the  Union  Mining  Company  of  Mount  Savage,  and  the  Baltimore 
Retort  and  Fire  Brick  Company  of  Baltimore ; sand-brick  obtained  from 
the  Cumberland  Granite  Brick  Company  of  Cumberland;  roofing-tile 
from  Edwin  BennetPs  Roofing  Tile  Works  of  Baltimore ; and  stove-linings 
from  the  Green  Hill  Fire  Brick  Company  of  North  East.  Among  other 
materials  limestone  and  lime  from  S.  W.  Barrick  and  Son  of  Woodsboro, 
Wm.  C.  Ditman  of  Texas,  John  W.  Tabler  Lime  and  Stone  Company 
of  Frederick,  and  the  M.  J.  Grove  Lime  Company  of  Lime  Kiln; 
cement  rock  and  cement  from  the  Cumberland  Hydraulic  Cement 
Company  of  Cumberland,  the  Round  Top  Cement  Company  of  Hancock, 
and  the  Cumberland  and  Potomac  Cement  Company  at  Pinto;  flint 
from  the  mines  of  the  American  Pottery  Supply  Company  in  Harford 
County,  and  feldspar  from  the  mines  of  the  Sparvetta  Mining  Company 
in  Cecil  county;  also  tripoli  from  the  quarries  of  the  New  York  Silicite 
Company  on  the  Patuxent  river. 

In  addition  to  the  exhibit  of  mineral  products  there  is  an  extensive 
systematic  collection  representing  the  geology,  mineralogy,  and  paleon- 
tology of  the  State  displayed  in  a series'  of  plate-glass  cases  on  the  walls. 
In  this  exhibit  the  numerous  materials  found  at  the  various  geological 
horizons  of  the  State  from  the  Archean  to  the  Pleistocene  are  displayed, 
the  object  of  the  exhibit  being  to  show  the  great  variety  of  geological 
formations  represented  in  Maryland. 

A large  collection  of  maps,  sections,  photographs,  and  illustrations 
covers  the  upper  portion  of  the  walls.  They  furnish  a graphic  view 
of  the  leading  physiographic,  geologic,  hydrographic,  and  climatologic 
features  of  the  State.  Colored  transparencies,  giving  views  of  Maryland 
scenery,  and  greatly  enlarged  micro-photographs  of  the  leading  types 
of  Maryland  rocks  occupy  the  windows.  The  publications  of  the  Mary- 
land Geological  Survey  fill  one  of  the  cases,  and  two  original  Mason  and 
Dixon  Line  stones,  a “ crown-stone  ” and  a “ mile-stone,”  are  also 
displayed. 

Surmounting  the  entire  exhibit  and  visible  from  all  parts  of  the 
building  is  the  great  seal  of  the  State  in  black  and  gold  over  which  in 
* gilt  letters  is  the  word  MARYLAND. 


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